


Turn a Little Faster

by ishipallthings



Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Getting Together, Humor, Jealous Steve, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Carol Danvers/James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Minor Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oblivious Steve, POV Steve Rogers, Pining, Protective Steve, Truth or Dare, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:26:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24916819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishipallthings/pseuds/ishipallthings
Summary: Tony and Natasha pose as a couple for an undercover mission. Steve doesn’t find this distracting. Not at all.And yet, it all goes downhill from there.(Five times Steve is distracted thinking of Tony, and one time Tony distracts Steve on purpose.)
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 45
Kudos: 453
Collections: Stony Loves Steve 2020





	Turn a Little Faster

**Author's Note:**

  * For [b0n3l3ssm1lk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/b0n3l3ssm1lk/gifts).



> My SLS fic for b0n3l3ssm1lk based on the prompt "Steve's concentration and performance on missions is off because of Tony." I hope you like this, I had fun writing it!
> 
> Thanks to Jaz and erde for their great beta work, to Addy and nadine for their help with the outline, and to the SLS mods for being understanding about an extension and for hosting this event.
> 
> This fic is set in the AA 'verse but it doesn't really fit with the canon timeline - it features appearances by Carol, Sharon, Pepper, Rhodey and Jane, but there aren't any specific references to canon events aside from Tony's de-aging in The Age of Tony Stark (2x07).
> 
> Title is from "Accidentally in Love" by Counting Crows.

* * *

1.

“You know, Cap, if you keep frowning like that, your face is going to end up sticking that way,” Clint remarks, swinging his legs up on the table before leaning over to try and steal a cookie from Hulk’s plate. A moment later, Steve hears a crash and a bang beside him, so he figures the attempt was unsuccessful. 

“I’m fine, Hawkeye. Let’s just focus on the mission,” Steve says, clearing his throat. He doesn’t bother sparing a glance in Clint’s direction, keeping his eyes focused on the video feed playing out in front of them. The video feed of the gala that Tony and Nat are attending tonight as a couple, playing the role to retrieve important intel.

SHIELD had told the team about rumors of a series of black market arms deals being conducted at a number of high society affairs and requested infiltration assistance from the Avengers. Given Tony’s experience as a former military defense contractor and Natasha’s unmatched skills as a spy, it had been decided that the easiest way to complete this mission was for them to attend the gala as a couple. The ensuing gossip would allow them ample opportunity to distract guests while zeroing in on the right targets, and it would also give them a good excuse to stick close to one another. 

It’s a solid plan, a good plan, so Steve has no idea why he’s feeling on edge about it. He keeps his eyes fixed on the huge screen in front of them, absentmindedly registering the way his fingers keep tapping the desk in front of him, and how he keeps shifting his seat every few seconds. It’s a simple enough plan, and he knows that both Tony and Natasha are more than capable of taking care of themselves even if it does go sideways. 

It’s fine. They’ll be fine. 

Thor echoes this sentiment from the couch on the other side of the room. “Natasha and Tony will apprehend these dastardly scientists in no time. Then, we shall feast!” Hulk gives a roar of approval at the thought of a celebratory feast. “They better be done soon.”

Sam turns to Steve with an encouraging smile, leaning back in his chair in front of the computers. “It’ll be alright, Cap. Looks like no one suspects a thing.” 

Steve gives him what he hopes is a passable smile in return. “JARVIS, would you mind zooming in on the video?” he asks after a moment. 

Natasha looks gorgeous in a floor-length strapless purple gown, and Tony looks very handsome as well in a grey tuxedo suit with a matching dark grey tie that Steve had helped him pick out before the mission. That’s no surprise, though. Tony looks good in pretty much anything, from a fancy suit to one of his greasy oil-stained tank tops. It’s why Steve finds himself drawing Tony so often, trying to capture the charm of Tony’s twinkling dark eyes and bright smile. It’s a good challenge for him as an artist. 

They look good together - Natasha and Tony - and it’s easy to see why people would fall so easily for the story of Black Widow and Iron Man being a couple. Their banter is seamless as they exchange happy smiles and gaze into each other’s eyes. It’s so effortless, it almost seems real. Steve swallows hard, his throat tight. He knows Natasha’s been seeing Pepper for a while now, even if they’re keeping things relatively private, and that they’re happy together. He shouldn’t be dwelling on the idea of Natasha and Tony as a real couple because it will never happen. Still, the thought leaves a tight, uncomfortable feeling in Steve’s chest. 

It’s probably just because he’s not used to them going undercover together, or he’s not used to seeing Tony with someone, that’s all. He pushes the thought aside and turns back to the video feed. 

He watches as Tony wraps his arm around Natasha’s waist as he makes conversation with one of the guests, who Steve recognizes as Trevor Banks, one of the people they suspect as being tied to the black market activity. Natasha leans in to Tony’s space easily, placing one hand on his shoulder before taking hold of his champagne glass and stealing a sip. Tony laughs and kisses her on the cheek, before moving even closer to whisper sweet nothings into her ear—

Steve gives a start as a sudden and loud CRACK fills the silence in the lab. He looks down to find that the edge of Tony’s table that he'd been holding on to has broken off in his hands. Steve blushes, a wave of intense mortification spreading through him. What the hell is wrong with him today?

“Whoa, Cap, you okay? Did you accidentally eat some of Hulk’s peanut butter this morning and now you’ve got rage powers too?” Clint asks, striding over to inspect the damage. He sounds concerned, but also like he’s trying to hold back a laugh.

Steve feels his face turn hotter with embarrassment at the thought. He needs to at least try and stay professional, at least until the mission is over. After that, fleeing to his rooms is looking like a very good idea. 

“It's nothing, Hawkeye. I'm alright. Just feeling nervous, that's all. SHIELD is counting on us and this needs to go well. You know I’m not a big fan of undercover missions. I don’t like putting any of the team in unnecessary danger.” 

“Nervous, huh?” Sam asks, and there’s something in his tone that Steve can’t quite put his finger on. “You sure that’s all it is, Cap?”

“Yeah, or maybe it’s the culmination of _someone_ trying to avoid their feelings until they’re staring right at them,” Clint suggests, and Steve doesn’t even have time to try and formulate a reply to that before Sam shushes him with a well-aimed kick to the foot. “Hey, I said _maybe,”_ Steve hears Clint whisper, sounding put-out.

Steve’s heart is pounding hard in his ears, to the point that he doesn’t think he would be hearing anything else if it wasn’t for the supersoldier serum. He turns his chair away from the screens for a moment, ignoring the worried faces of his other teammates. 

Feelings… Clint can’t possibly mean that he might, that Steve has… 

It’s just anxiety, that’s all; he wants the mission to go smoothly, and undercover operations have always left him antsy, even when he isn’t the one going undercover. 

There’s no other reason for Steve’s distraction. None at all.

Maybe seeing Tony and Natasha being intimate and affectionate while playing a couple has rattled him more than expected, but that’s only because it’s so unlike them. Steve hasn’t seen Tony smile at anyone like that since he and Pepper broke up, and that was a long time ago, back during the Avengers’ first trial run and before they had reformed as a better and stronger team. He wonders if that means there hasn’t been anybody special in Tony’s life since then, as he hasn’t introduced anyone new to the team. 

Of course, Steve’s met Carol; for a minute there he had thought that there might be something between them, but now he knows Carol and Rhodey are together, and Tony and Carol are just friends. Steve doesn’t like the idea of Tony being alone for so long, even if for some reason, the thought of a random stranger coming along and taking up Tony’s time and his laughter and his smiles makes something ache inside of Steve. Maybe it would take some time for him to adjust, but Tony is his best friend in the world, and all Steve wants is for him to be happy. That’s probably why he’s been acting so strangely watching Tony and Natasha together today. It’s an act, and Steve wants Tony to have the real deal. 

Bolstered by this answer, Steve turns back to the computer screen, which is currently showing them footage of Tony and Natasha slow-dancing together, Tony’s hands loose around her waist, Natasha’s face in Tony’s neck. The sight brings back the tight, uncomfortable feeling in Steve’s chest in an instant, and for a moment it feels like there isn’t enough air in the room. Tony’s smiling again, the same soft smile Steve had seen when he had looked at Natasha earlier, but there’s something wistful in his eyes that leaves Steve with an odd ache in his chest. 

He wishes he could be with Tony at the gala right now, so that he could chase away the sadness in Tony’s face with an inside joke and a teasing smile, and he could take Tony in his arms and hold him close, could lean in and—

Steve feels his limbs go loose as he sinks into his chair in shock, the realization breaking over him. 

He wants to be the one there with Tony, laughing at his jokes and dancing with him, wants to be the one to hold his hand, and the one he looks at first every time. 

He wants all that, and he wants it to be _real._

Steve drops his head into his hands with a loud groan. He _knew_ this undercover operation was a bad idea. He just didn’t think it’d be because he’d be sucker-punched with the fact that he’s head over heels in love with Tony. Who is his best friend, and who definitely doesn’t return his feelings.

So much for a smooth mission.

* * *

Steve looks up at the sound of a knock on his door, a sinking feeling in his gut. He can make a fair guess who his visitor might be, and he’s not ready to put on a brave face in front of Tony yet. 

The mission had gone off without a hitch in the end, with Tony and Natasha successfully interrupting not just one, but two under-the-table black market deals before the night was over. Steve had registered this with a distant satisfaction, his mind still reeling over the news of his romantic feelings for Tony. He had been distracted through the entire debriefing of the mission, starting sentences before trailing off without a finish and forgetting important points, until Thor ended up taking over so they could finish before midnight. After the debrief was done, Steve was the first to leave the room, tossing back a hasty goodbye before fleeing the scene. He didn’t know how he was supposed to meet Tony’s eyes or make conversation about the mission when his mouth kept wanting to betray him and blurt out his feelings in front of Tony and everyone else.

Still, Steve knows he can’t avoid Tony forever. Ignoring his knock would only make Tony more suspicious about Steve’s behavior, and Steve doesn’t need Tony trying to confront him right now. With a soft sigh, he gets up and opens the door. 

The sight he’s greeted with, Tony in an old MIT shirt and sweatpants, is a familiar one, something he sees almost daily. And yet, when he looks at Tony, Steve’s heart starts racing and he feels his palms sweating, a mixture of panic and desire enveloping him from head to toe. For a second, Steve’s torn between the urge to slam the door in Tony’s face and the urge to slam him against the door and kiss him senseless, before sanity takes over.

“Hey, Tony, looking for me?” Steve asks in what he hopes is a normal tone, before realizing what he just said. _Stupid._ Why else would Tony come to Steve’s room if he wasn’t looking for Steve? As if feeling like an idiot in front of Tony isn’t enough, now he sounds like one too. 

“Uh, yeah,” Tony says, frowning a little before shaking his head, apparently deciding to ignore Steve’s lack of brain-to-mouth filter for the moment. “You seemed off at the debrief earlier. Are you feeling alright?” 

The earnest concern on Tony’s face is gratifying, even as Steve feels guilty for sidestepping the truth, though he knows telling Tony the truth would be a worse idea. 

“Yeah, I’m fine Tony, thanks. I just haven’t been sleeping well lately,” Steve replies, eyes flickering to Tony’s gaze for a moment before dropping down to the floor again.

“I’m here if you want to talk about it anytime, Cap,” Tony says, and Steve’s traitorous heart gives a pang at the softness in his voice. Which means nothing more than Tony expressing care for a friend, not that Steve’s heart wants to listen to logic. 

“Thanks, Tony,” Steve says after a pause, swallowing past the lump in his throat. God, maybe it would have been easier if he had stayed oblivious to his feelings. 

“So, you want to go grab a bite? There’s this new exhibit on dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History I’ve been meaning to check out, and I thought you might like to come along as well. I think you’d have fun.” 

Tony’s eyes light up with excitement at the mention of the new exhibit, and Steve is almost tempted by the offer, until he remembers the gnawing feeling in his stomach. He can’t go out with Tony and pretend everything’s fine. Not yet. 

“Sorry, Tony, I think I’m going to try and turn in early. Raincheck for next time?” Steve says, trying to inject a note of cheer into his voice.

“Oh.” The disappointment on Tony’s face at Steve’s response stings, and a small part of him wonders if there’s something more than disappointment there, but Steve pushes it away. There’s no need for him to dwell on more false hopes. 

“Yeah, of course. Next time will be great.” Tony pauses in the doorway, as if not sure whether to stay or go. “You sure you’re fine, though?” 

“Of course,” Steve assures him, though the words taste false in his mouth. 

Steve spends the entire night restless and awake after Tony leaves, running his thoughts over his feelings, again and again, unable to keep his mind off of Tony.

* * *

2\. 

_Godamnit._ Steve screws up his half-finished sketch into a tight ball and tosses it on the floor in frustration. 

These days, all he draws when he picks up his pencil is Tony. Tony, half-asleep in the morning, looking bleary-eyed and unfairly adorable, Tony working on new versions of the Iron Man suit, Tony gesturing at JARVIS with a wrench in his hand, looking outraged, Tony at a party… 

Tony, Tony, Tony. 

Steve thinks of how sketching Tony has felt second-nature for a long time, and grimaces at the thought that his feelings must have been obvious to everyone long before he realized (a voice in his head that sounds suspiciously like Natasha’s adds, “extremely obvious.”) 

Today, however, his sketches aren’t coming out right, and flipping through his older drawings of Tony for inspiration isn’t exactly helping with Steve’s resolution that he should work on putting his feelings aside for the sake of his and Tony’s friendship. Hence the frustration and the tossed sketch. 

Then, Steve’s thoughts are interrupted by his favorite voice in the world, the voice that makes Steve’s heart race like he’s just finished running a day-long marathon. 

Tony’s voice. 

“Having a little trouble with your muse there, Cap?” Tony asks, flopping down on the couch next to Steve and turning an interested eye towards his sketchpad. 

“A little. Just one of those days, I guess,” Steve replies, trying to subtly edge his sketchpad out of Tony’s line of sight with one hand. It would be a disaster if his drawings gave away his feelings, and Steve figures that would be a sure bet. “You just get back from SI?” he continues, hoping to distract Tony with a change of subject.

“Yep. Long day, long meetings. You don’t want to know more. I have no idea how Pep puts up with more of those than I do. And she can run circles around the Board.” 

“She’s amazing,” Steve agrees with a smile. He doesn’t get to see Pepper very often these days with how busy she is, but they still keep up a semi-regular correspondence via text about art, books they’ve managed to read recently, and of course, Tony. 

Tony nods, before turning his attention back to Steve and his problem. “You know, if you’re stuck, I could pose for you.” His smile turns teasing, almost flirtatious. “I’ve been told I’m a good model.”

Steve watches the edge of Tony’s mouth as it turns up in a grin, shoving aside the very strong and sudden urge to lean over and kiss the corner of it and run his hands through Tony’s hair. _Focus._ Then he registers Tony’s words and his brain screeches to a halt again. 

“Pose… for me?” 

“Yeah, you know, I could get dressed up in a suit, or whatever you want, and you could draw me,” Tony says, reaching up to loosen the knot of his tie and leaning back with a sigh. “I’m at your disposal.”

Steve knows he should be forming words in response, but his mind remains stuck on the words _pose_ and _model_ , helpfully conjuring up images of Tony wiping up a smudge of grease on his forehead, his tank top riding up to reveal strong muscles and a tempting sliver of bare skin, of Tony in a suit and loosened tie just like he is right now, looking up at Steve with clear want in his eyes, crooking one finger to motion Steve forward, of Tony in swimming trunks just like he’d worn on their last beach trip, of Tony bathed in nothing but the light of the arc reactor—

Steve sucks in a long deep breath, almost dropping his sketchpad onto the floor before his reflexes snap back in action. When he looks up, Tony’s frowning and looking closely at him. “You’re looking a bit flushed, Steve. Is everything okay?”

_Oh, god._

Steve needs to get out of here _right now,_ before Tony realizes the exact extent of Steve’s new _problem_ and everything’s ruined. 

He jumps to his feet and blurts out something he’s pretty sure sounds like “finemaybelaterTonyseeyou” before hightailing it from the room. 

Over the next few days, Steve uses up so many pages of his sketchpad that he ends up having to buy a new one.

* * *

3.

Then there’s the time Tony’s armor is drenched with frog slime in the middle of a battle (villains are really straining for creativity, lately) and Tony has to take off the armor immediately at the end of the battle to avoid contamination.

When he steps out in nothing but an AC/DC shirt and a pair of boxers covered in tiny, red hearts, Steve’s vision nearly whites out. From what he remembers later on, his very first reaction to this was an extremely coherent “hnnngh.” 

Steve ends up spacing out more than once during the following debrief, his mind stuck on the extremely enticing image of Tony in boxers. When he flees the room yet again once the debrief is finally over, he thinks wryly that this is beginning to feel like déjà vu. 

* * *

4\. 

Steve bites his lip, considering his choices. “Dare,” he says finally, with a decisive nod. 

Across from him, he sees Tony’s smirk widen and Sharon raises her red cup to him in salute. It’s her turn to set the dare, and Steve knows she’s not going to waste her chance. Thor beams and raises his own glass to Steve. “A fair choice, Captain!” he exclaims.

“Got it.” She grins and smothers a laugh before motioning in Steve’s direction. “I dare you to call Johnny Storm and tell him that not only are you a much prettier blond, you also have a nicer ass than he does.” 

Steve groans loudly. It’s partly for dramatics, but it’s also because Johnny Storm is an annoyingly smug pain in the ass who likes to tell anyone willing to listen that he’s much handsomer than Steve. 

Honestly, Steve doesn’t really see the resemblance between them.

“She’s not wrong,” Tony adds with a wink, and Steve feels his face heat with a blush, even as he knows Tony’s just flirting for laughs. He doesn’t mean it, not the way Steve wants him to, but that doesn’t mean Steve is unaffected by it.

He rubs a hand over the back of his neck, ducking his head a little to hide a grin. Jane Foster, SI’s new intern, reaches over from her spot next to Thor to give Tony a high five, clearly in agreement with him.

Steve makes the call amid loud hoots and laughter from his team and hangs up on an irate Johnny Storm mid-way through his tirade. It looks like the next team up with the Fantastic Four is going to be an interesting one, after this.

“Okay, Tony, it’s your turn next.” Natasha’s smile turns speculative as she fixes her gaze on Tony, a calculating look in her eyes. It’s the same look Steve saw on her face just before she took down Clint in yesterday’s sparring session, so he knows she means business.

Tony makes his choice without blinking. “Truth.” He tosses his drink back before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. For a moment, Steve is distracted by the water still clinging to Tony’s bottom lip. “Bring it on.”

“Alright. Tell us, who was your first childhood crush?” 

Tony’s face pales at Natasha’s question, and next to him, Rhodey lets out a long, low whistle. “That’s a good one,” he says, sounding impressed.

“Damnit, Romanoff. I don’t know why I ever told you that,” Tony mutters, staring down at the empty cup clenched in his suddenly tight fist. Steve watches Tony’s face grow redder by the second, and he’s wondering exactly what Natasha knows that could make Tony Stark blush, when they get Tony’s answer. 

“It was Cap. My first crush as a kid was on Cap. I had all his posters, made my own model of the shield… I only realized years later that it was my first crush, but yeah.” 

Steve blinks, feeling a little like he’s been hit over the head with something heavy. Around him, Steve hears a chorus of “awww”s and “how cute”s from everyone else, and what he thinks is a sound of agreement from Scott. He blinks again, Tony’s quiet, mumbled confession echoing in his head. 

_He_ had been Tony’s first crush?

Steve had known that Tony looked up to Captain America as a kid - Tony had even shown him a picture of his younger self dressed up as Captain America for Halloween after the Time Stone debacle, but Steve never imagined it extended into a childhood crush. Steve feels a glimmer of hope plant itself in his chest before it’s extinguished abruptly by his next thought. 

Tony’s first crush had been on Captain America, not Steve Rogers. He had liked the hero he saw in the posters and comic book and secondhand stories, not Steve. Even if any of that admiration had been for Steve, it was only a boyhood fancy, one that must have faded years ago. It certainly doesn’t say anything about Tony’s feelings for Steve now.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Steve takes a long sip from his drink. The game has now moved on to Carol, who is being challenged by Rhodey to a dare of some sort. He also can’t help noticing Tony purposely avoiding his gaze, which stings more than Steve would like to admit.

For the rest of the night, Steve feels subdued, distracted by Tony’s words playing on a loop in his head.

* * *

5\. 

Steve punches in his access code to Tony’s lab, pausing just long enough to get the sequence right before pushing the door open.

“Cap, what—” As Tony whirls around in surprise, a wrench in one hand, Steve storms up to him in long strides, stopping only a few steps away from Tony. He can feel his hands shaking even as they’re clenched in tight fists, and his voice is unsteady when he finally finds his words, a wave of anger still threatening to overwhelm him. 

“Tony. What. The. Hell. Were. You. Thinking,” Steve grounds out in a low voice, biting off each word furiously, feeling as though he doesn’t have enough control over himself to say more than one word at once. All at once, the devastating fear and panic he had felt during the battle when Tony had thrown himself directly in front of Steve to block an attack from Kang comes rushing back, and Steve’s voice rises in volume. “What the hell was that?” 

“That was me making a strategic decision to save your life, Cap,” Tony responds, placing his wrench down before turning to Steve. Despite the even tone of voice, Tony’s eyes are flashing with emotion. Steve reads the hidden anger in Tony’s mask of calm, and it only serves to infuriate him further. 

“If Thor hadn’t grabbed you at the last second, who knows what could have happened? The armor doesn’t make you invulnerable to time blasts, Tony. I know you like to think that you’re invincible, but you’re not.” 

Steve knows he’s crossing a line even as the words pass his lips, but he’s feeling so much at the moment, it’s impossible to stop. Even before Steve realized the extent of his feelings for Tony, the idea of losing him had been unthinkable. The thought that he could have so easily lost Tony to the multiverse today had it not been for Thor, has left Steve reeling. 

“Oh, and why would you care, Cap? It’s my business if I decide what's worth it to save a teammate’s life, and it will always be worth it.” Steve can tell Tony is aiming for nonchalance in the face of Steve’s anger, but there’s a hardness to his voice that belies that ease. 

“Not at the cost of your own life, Tony!” Steve shouts, now holding on to the countertop in an effort to hold himself back. “And what the hell do you mean, ‘why would I care?’ You’re one of my best friends, Tony! Do you think I would just sit back and watch you sacrifice yourself without a second thought?”

Steve hears his voice crack at these last words, the hurt of Tony’s accusation finally puncturing through his anger. 

“Well, you certainly haven’t been acting like you consider me your best friend these past few weeks!” Tony yells back, seemingly done with acting calm. “All you’ve done lately is avoid me, ever since I came back from that mission with Natasha. You keep running out on mission debriefs, and blowing me off for our weekly hangouts,” Tony scoffs bitterly. “Last week after truth and dare, I embarrassed you so much that you didn’t even come to movie night, and you always make time for movie night.” 

Steve’s heart lurches painfully at the clear hurt in Tony’s voice, and a heavy pang of guilt sends his stomach sinking to the ground. 

He had been so distracted by his own feelings for Tony, he’d failed to realize how much he’d hurt Tony by pulling away from him. Now Steve’s ruined everything, and Tony doesn’t even know the truth yet. 

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable and god, Steve, just tell me how I can fix this. I don’t want to lose you.” Tony’s voice has now taken on a pleading note, and Steve aches at the sound. 

“You’ve done nothing wrong, Tony,” Steve says heavily, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry, I never meant to—” He lets out a broken half-laugh before continuing. “It’s not what you think, Tony. You never made me uncomfortable, it was never that.” Gathering up all the remnants of his courage, Steve looks up to meet Tony’s questioning gaze. 

“You asked me earlier why would I care if you were gone. I’d care, Tony, because I love you. I’m in love with you.” Steve sees the surprise break over Tony’s face and lowers his eyes to the floor again before continuing. “I was jealous when I watched you and Nat go undercover as a couple, though I didn’t figure it out until afterwards. When I saw you two dancing, I realized how much I wanted to be the one dancing with you, to be with you for real. It’s why I’ve been avoiding you so much.” 

Steve runs a hand through his hair, his face heating. “When you offered to pose for me, I ran away because I thought you’d be able to tell what I was thinking and feeling just from looking at me, and when you had to strip out of the armor because of the frog slime—” Steve breaks off and swallows hard. “I think about you all the time.” 

There’s a short pause before he continues again, still unable to meet Tony’s eyes. “So that’s why it’s been difficult for me, being around you. And you didn’t make me uncomfortable during truth and dare. It was just hard, hearing that you used to have a crush on Captain America when I feel the way I do about you. I’m working on it though, and I hate that it’s affected our friendship like this, but I don’t want to lose you either. I can’t promise that I’ll get over it soon, but—” 

Steve’s breath hitches in his throat when he feels Tony’s hand on his cheek. 

“What if I don’t want you to get over it?” Tony’s voice is warm and careful, a gentle caress to Steve’s heart. 

Steve looks up, hope blooming in his chest even as he tells himself not to read too much into Tony’s words. The astonishment he had seen earlier on Tony’s face has softened into something sweeter, something tender. 

“Steve. Sweetheart.” Steve’s heart skips a beat at the sound of the endearment coming from Tony’s lips. An endearment meant for _him._

“I had a crush on Captain America when I was a kid. But the truth is, I fell in love with Steve Rogers a long time ago.” 

“You did?” Steve asks, his voice hushed. This feels like a dream, like the best dream he’s ever had. But even in his sweetest dreams, he’s never seen Tony looking at him like this. Like he loves Steve.

“Yeah, Winghead. You better believe it.” Tony’s eyes are sparkling with the same elation Steve knows is written all over his own face, and the truth of it settles into Steve’s bones. 

Tony _loves_ him. 

“That—that’s good,” Steve says, a bubble of bright joy rising in his chest when Tony grins at him happily. He wraps his arms around Tony’s waist and pulls him close. “I’m still sorry I hurt you.” 

“That’s okay,” Tony replies, with a soft expression. A teasing glint sneaks into his gaze, one that Steve knows is going to keep driving him crazy. "You can make it up to me."

“How would you like me to do that?” Steve asks, eyes falling to Tony’s mouth. 

“Kiss me.” 

* * *

+1.

“Mrrffghhh.” 

Steve smiles as he feels Tony stir beside him. He leans over to brush Tony’s hair out of his eyes before kissing him gently on the forehead. 

“Morning, sleepyhead.” Steve’s grin turns into a laugh when Tony makes a sound like a disgruntled cat in response. 

“What’re you doing?” Tony finally asks after a long pause, the words half-muffled against Steve’s neck as he burrows himself further into Steve’s warmth. 

“I’m supposed to meet Carol for a run this morning, sweetheart.” Steve knows he should get up, but Tony is warm and pliant in his arms, and it’s a hard temptation to resist.

“No running,” Tony mutters, a petulant edge to his voice that Steve really shouldn’t find as endearing as he actually does.

“Tony…”

“If you stay, I’m sure I can provide you with a proper distraction,” Tony says, now sounding more awake by the second. 

“It would have to be a very good distraction,” Steve responds, working to keep a straight face even as Tony leans in, clearly trying to wrangle a kiss from Steve.

“Well, you remember all those fantasies you had when I suggested that I could model for you?” Tony asks, leaning back with a long, exaggerated stretch.

“—You know what, I’m sure Carol won’t mind running on her own today.” 

The satisfied smugness in Tony’s response doesn’t surprise Steve in the slightest. “I already got JARVIS to text her about cancelling your plans.” 

“Oh? You were that confident I’d agree to stay in bed?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Captain Rogers, I’m very good at providing favorable distractions.”

“I can’t argue with that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are the best :) Thank you for reading!


End file.
